The McDonald family, once wealthy and influential in Spokane, Washington, was rocked by the brutal murder of real estate mogul William H. McNutt in 1919. The McDonald siblings—Marie, Fay, Ted, and Will—were involved in the crime, with Will ultimately striking McNutt in a fit of rage and the others helping cover it up. The case was cracked after a mysterious tip led authorities to McNutt’s body, and the surviving McDonald siblings were arrested and tried for murder. Ultimately, Marie, Fay, and Ted were convicted and sentenced to life in prison, while Will’s fate remained unknown.

Episode Sources:

https://www.historylink.org/file/22405#:~:text=Marie%2C%20Fay%2C%20Ted%20and%20Will,them%20over%20a%20money%20dispute.

https://www.historylink.org/file/22406

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/jan/20/100-years-ago-in-spokane-attorney-says-its-no-wond/

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/138690331/william-henry-mcnutt

https://dp.la/item/812d40589e64110c48b626495cfc016d

This week, we’re unzipping the tent and diving into the darkest corners of the woods—where Reddit campers share the terrifying moments that made them pack up early. From whispering voices outside the tent flap to shadowy figures watching from the treeline, these are the stories that turn cozy nights by the fire into sleepless ones.

So grab your flashlight, check your zippers twice, and settle in—because once you hear these tales, you might think twice before your next trip into the trees.

Listen now… if you dare.

#CreepyCamping #TrueScaryStories #RedditTerrors #CampfireTales #HauntedWoods #MysteriousPNW #SpookySeason #PodcastEpisode #DontGoAlone

This week, we’re unzipping the tent and diving into the darkest corners of the woods—where Reddit campers share the terrifying moments that made them pack up early. From whispering voices outside the tent flap to shadowy figures watching from the tree line, these are the stories that turn cozy nights by the fire into sleepless ones.

So grab your flashlight, check your zippers twice, and settle in—because once you hear these tales, you might think twice before your next trip into the trees.

Listen now… if you dare.

#CreepyCamping #TrueScaryStories #RedditTerrors #CampfireTales #HauntedWoods #MysteriousPNW #SpookySeason #PodcastEpisode #DontGoAlone

In this wild episode, we dive into the legends of the Pukwudgie—a cranky little forest goblin with a grudge and a dart gun, basically your ex if they lived in the woods. Then it’s off to meet the Shunka Warak’in, a terrifying wolf-beast with the energy of a cryptid who’s late for their Tinder date. And just when you think it can’t get weirder, a giant monster grasshopper hops in, ready to ruin crops and your afternoon with equal enthusiasm. It’s folklore meets chaos, with just enough sass to make you question if your backyard is haunted—or just poorly landscaped.

Episode Sources:

https://hangar1publishing.com/blogs/cryptids/montana-cryptids?srsltid=AfmBOopW-U72hiAA1WBDTMH6DV3wXfYOe_zbL0vYl5fSN9MW1ICZtxcS

https://forums.sassnet.com/index.php?/topic/378442-monster-grasshopper/

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/enormous-grasshopper-montana/

https://m.facebook.com/groups/496944996063145/posts/616969824060661/

https://allcryptid.fandom.com/wiki/Shunka_Warakin

https://www.distinctlymontana.com/shunka-warakin-hyena-rockies

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/shunka-warakin-cryptid-ocker

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Shunka_Warak%27in

https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Shunka_Warakin

https://northamericancryptids.com/shunka-warakin/

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Pukwudgie

https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2022/10/24/the-little-people-of-pryor-mountain

https://legendsofwindemere.com/2024/10/14/the-north-american-pukwudgie/

For our one-year anniversary episode, we’re diving into one of the darkest stories we’ve ever told.

Carl Panzram wasn’t folklore—he was a violent, deeply damaged man whose crimes stretched across the country. During his time in the Pacific Northwest, he served a prison sentence, incited a riot, attempted an escape, and carried with him a rage that only grew more dangerous. His time here is a shadow in the region’s past—rarely talked about, but impossible to ignore.

1 year Celebration!! 

What started as a passion project between two friends has turned into something much bigger than we imagined. Over the last year, we’ve explored haunted lighthouses, unsolved murders, cryptids in the woods, shipwrecks, lost towns, and legends still echoing along the coast. We’ve released over 100 episodes—and every single one has been shaped by your curiosity, support, and shared love for this strange, haunted region.

Thank you for being with us. Whether you’ve been here from the beginning or just found us this week, we’re so grateful you’re part of this.

Here’s to one year—and everything still waiting to be uncovered.

Sources: 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Panzram

https://archives.sdsu.edu/repositories/2/resources/208

https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Carl_Panzram

https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Carl_Panzram

htps://mail.murderpedia.org/male.P/p/panzram-carl.htm

https://serialkillershop.com/blogs/true-crime/carl-panzram

https://allthatsinteresting.com/carl-panzram

https://thoughtnova.com/the-sad-gruesome-story-of-carl-panzram-the-most-cold-blooded-serial-killer-in-history

https://medium.com/@daisyaspencer4/the-twisted-serial-killer-carl-panzram-d08a8b084905

https://www.factualamerica.com/serial-cuts/americas-darkest-son-the-vengeful-voyage-of-carl-panzram

https://discover.hubpages.com/politics/carlpanzram

https://www.crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/history/panzram2/8.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shadow-boxing/202007/the-meanest-man-who-ever-lived?amp

https://serialkillercalendar.com/SERIAL-KILLER-CARL-PANZRAM.php

https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/serial-killer/hate-rape-homicidal-rage-serial-killer-carl-panzram-who-stole-the-presidents-gun

https://a.co/d/3tTZTmd

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer:_A_Journal_of_Murder

We’ve faced haunted legends, creepy cryptids, and eerie encounters—but nothing compares to the chaos behind the mic.

To celebrate one year of Mysterious Pacific Northwest, we’re sharing our favorite behind-the-scenes moments: the stumbles, the snorts, the dramatic mispronunciations, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. It’s haunted hijinks… unfiltered.

For our one-year anniversary episode, we’re diving into one of the darkest stories we’ve ever told.

Carl Panzram wasn’t folklore—he was a violent, deeply damaged man whose crimes stretched across the country. During his time in the Pacific Northwest, he served a prison sentence, incited a riot, attempted an escape, and carried with him a rage that only grew more dangerous. His time here is a shadow in the region’s past—rarely talked about, but impossible to ignore.

1 year Celebration!!!

What started as a passion project between two friends has turned into something much bigger than we imagined. Over the last year, we’ve explored haunted lighthouses, unsolved murders, cryptids in the woods, shipwrecks, lost towns, and legends still echoing along the coast. We’ve released over 100 episodes—and every single one has been shaped by your curiosity, support, and shared love for this strange, haunted region.

Thank you for being with us. Whether you’ve been here from the beginning or just found us this week, we’re so grateful you’re part of this.

Here’s to one year—and everything still waiting to be uncovered.

Sources: 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Panzram

https://archives.sdsu.edu/repositories/2/resources/208

https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Carl_Panzram

https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Carl_Panzram

https://mail.murderpedia.org/male.P/p/panzram-carl.htm

https://serialkillershop.com/blogs/true-crime/carl-panzram

https://allthatsinteresting.com/carl-panzram

https://thoughtnova.com/the-sad-gruesome-story-of-carl-panzram-the-most-cold-blooded-serial-killer-in-history

https://medium.com/@daisyaspencer4/the-twisted-serial-killer-carl-panzram-d08a8b084905

https://www.factualamerica.com/serial-cuts/americas-darkest-son-the-vengeful-voyage-of-carl-panzram

https://discover.hubpages.com/politics/carlpanzram

https://www.crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/history/panzram2/8.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shadow-boxing/202007/the-meanest-man-who-ever-lived?amp

https://serialkillercalendar.com/SERIAL-KILLER-CARL-PANZRAM.php

https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/serial-killer/hate-rape-homicidal-rage-serial-killer-carl-panzram-who-stole-the-presidents-gun

https://a.co/d/3tTZTmd

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer:_A_Journal_of_Murder

From eerie hauntings to chilling true crime and fascinating history, this past year has been an incredible journey—and we couldn’t have done it without you! Join us as we look back on our favorite moments, biggest surprises, and what’s next for the podcast.

Listen now and celebrate with us!  #MysteriousPacificNorthwest #PodcastAnniversary #OneYearOfMystery

Over 20 severed human feet have washed ashore along the Salish Sea since 2007—each one still inside a sneaker. For years, theories swirled: serial killer, plane crash, organized crime. But the truth is stranger, and far more tragic.

In this episode of Mysterious Pacific Northwest, Jen and Sarah dive deep into the full list of Salish Sea Feet discoveries, the science of how a body decomposes in cold water, and the quiet heartbreak behind the ocean’s most haunting returns.

Sources:

1. Salish Sea human foot discoveries - Wikipedia

2. British Columbia Coroners Service Statement on Human Feet

3. RCMP Media Background – Human Feet Cases

4. CBC News – Why do feet keep washing up on the B.C. coast?

5. The Guardian – Salish Sea feet mystery

6. National Geographic – Why Feet Keep Washing Ashore in the Pacific Northwest

7. Seattle Times – Foot in boot found on Jetty Island identified

8. Global News – Foot found in Jordan River identified

9. Live Science – Why Are So Many Feet Washing Ashore in Canada?

In 1926, 22-year-old Sylvia Gaines was found murdered near Seattle’s Green Lake, with signs suggesting her death was the result of an intimate and violent encounter. Her father, Bob Gaines, became the prime suspect, with evidence pointing to his involvement, including a damning confession to a friend and physical evidence found on his clothing. At trial, the prosecution argued that Bob killed Sylvia to prevent her from leaving him, presenting overwhelming circumstantial evidence, including his proximity to the crime scene and contradictory statements. Bob was convicted of first-degree murder and executed in 1928, while Sylvia was cremated and memorialized at the lake where her life was tragically cut short.

https://stalkingseattle.blogspot.com/2012/04/murder-at-green-lake.html?m=1

https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4217188/state-v-gaines/

https://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattle-history/article/seattle-history-the-shocking-murder-at-green-lake-1426368.php

https://www.historylink.org/File/1051